


Valar Morghulis

by Unreal_Kitty



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Arya-centric, Badass Arya, Gen, Godswood, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Character Death, POV Arya Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 07:42:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18774274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unreal_Kitty/pseuds/Unreal_Kitty
Summary: All men must die. Some fall for love, others for greed, and others still for nothing at all. What does Theon Greyjoy die for? A girl sees. A girl knows.It takes time to die from a spear to the gut. Time enough for Theon to see what his sacrifice bought from the God of Death.





	Valar Morghulis

**Author's Note:**

> This story was initially inspired by this Tumblr discussion: https://waking-electric.tumblr.com/post/184687810192/atimefordirewolves-ok-so-i-noticed-something

All men must die. And what do they fall for? Love. Loyalty. Money. Rage. Family. Nothing.  
The Many-Faced God would have his due. _Valar morghulis _.__

__Her boots crept over snow without a sound. The godswood smelled of blood and tree sap. The Weirwood wept._ _

__Her prey faced the ancient tree, looming over her brother. His time was coming. All men must die, and this creature was long overdue. This Arya knew. The Stranger had whispered to her that yes, the Night King has once been a man, in another age. She stalked closer, silent. A girl was Cat, it another age._ _

__A tiny sound from below caught her attention. She paused. A body lay at her feet. All men must die. But Theon wasn’t dead. Yet. Blood bubbled from his throat as he labored to breathe. Soon he would drown._ _

__She almost kept walking. Wolves did not weep over Drowned Men or fallen Kraken. And a girl had a job to do._ _

__But she found she couldn’t move. Theon’s red hair gleamed like blood on the snow. She remembered Sansa’s red hair, her sister who saved him. Her sister, who he saved. She remembered her mother’s auburn hair, and Robb’s darker locks, like hickory wood._ _

__She thought of the day, long ago, when they played pirates. She and Theon and Bran and Robb. Theon, of course, was the captain, being the only one of them who knew proper nautical terms. Bran had fallen and skinned his knee, his dirty leg red red red with blood._ _

__She remembered Rickon’s face grow redder and redder with fury, as he railed against being left out of the fun. He was just a toddler, but already strong-willed and stormy._ _

__And Jon, with his even temper and Stark-black hair, wore red in the eyes of his white direwolf._ _

__The soft gurgle of Theon choking on his own blood jarred Arya back to the present. Soon, a man would drown. _Valar morghulis._ _ _

__No, wolves do not weep for fallen kraken. But when one of their own lies fallen in the snow, they howl._ _

__“Theon,” Arya breathed. The Night King wouldn’t hear her. No One makes no sound._ _

__But Theon heard. He abandoned his battle for life, instead using the last shred of his strength to slightly lift his head. Sea-glass eyes met brown. Arya nodded her head. A bow. And an affirmation. _The pack survives._ _ _

__

__The wisp of a smile bloomed on Theon’s lips. The ghost of the ever-present grin he once wore. His sigh of relief brought up a rush of blood. His head relaxed back onto the snow._ _

__

__“ _Valar morghulis,_ ” whispered Arya. Yes, all men must die. And Theon died with honor._ _

__


End file.
